FROM THE DEEP END
It took years for one scientist to decode the formula of a miracle. But hard work pays off. Andy Bevacqua tells Li Ying Lim in this exclusive interview why the famed Crème de la Mer is well worth a thousand dollars.
Andy Bevacqua revisits Dr. Max Huber’s work for La Mer
BThe vice president of research and development at the Max Huber Research Labs, Bevacqua came into the picture when he decoded the cryptic formula left behind after Huber’s passing. “Our biggest challenge ‘decoding’ Dr. Huber’s original formula was efore Andy Bevacqua, there was Dr. Max Huber. The aerospace physicist suffered severe physical burns from an accidental chemical explosion that occurred during one of his trials. His indefatigable spirit, however, led him to discover the legendary rejuvenating prowess of rich oceanic life in Crème de la Mer.
QUEST FOR RECOVERY
The 12-year journey to the Crème was nothing short of arduous, consisting of 6,000 experiments. Huber was a strong believer in the powerful and endless possibilities of the deep blue, and he zeroed in with special interest on the North American Pacific kelp, macrocystis pyrifera.
Off the coast of Vancouver Island, in the untainted cool depths of British Columbian waters, sea kelp is harvested by Canada’s First Nations people and sold to La Mer to make the Miracle Broth, the super nutrient at the heart of Crème de la Mer.
BE THE MIRACLE
replicating the fermentation broth. There was very little written information on the formula or process but we were able to work closely with his team to piece everything together,” recalls Bevacqua. “After many experiments we were able to pinpoint the precise combination of the ingredients, the bio-fermentation process, and the use of energy to obtain the same activity and skin benefits of the Miracle Broth.”
POWER PLANT
Huber claimed that the result of sea kelp combined with pure ingredients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and natural oils including citrus, wheat germ, eucalyptus, alfalfa, and sunflower, was nothing out of the ordinary. What truly made a difference was the three to four months of bio-fermentation, as well as sonography, a form of light and sound treatment.
“Dr. Huber was a physicist and understood the power and energy of light and sound and how they could be used to enhance the activity of ingredients. To mimic the natural growth environment of the sea kelp, he pulsated waves of light and sound energy during the Miracle Broth fermentation process to intensify the ingredient’s activity and maximise the benefits to the skin.”
The science behind the Crème is based on the negative and positive ions found in the skin. While the negative charges are prone to reach towards the surface, the positive ions prefer to stay in the depth of the dermis. These movements produce an energy that is vital for skin repair and to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Stress and age throw this motion off. This is where the Crème comes in.
SKIN THEORY
“Recently, we were able to conduct tests that confirmed the Miracle Broth is a powerful energy source. We developed an assay that measures the electrical energy in skin. Using this, we were able to discover significant increases in skin’s energy when the Miracle Broth is applied.” Skin is soothed, sensitivities put to rest, wrinkles are smoothed away, pores are less visible, and firmness is restored. This Miracle is at its best when the suspended energy of the Broth is released with a tiny rub of the Crème between the fingertips before patting and massaging it gently into the skin.
Bevacqua has taken La Mer far beyond the Crème; this month sees the launch of a new Treatment Lotion. “The work of Max Huber constantly challenges and inspires me,” he says. “I’ve learned so much from his legacy, and I think he’d be proud of where we’ve taken his original Crème.”